First of all, thank you for your prayers. The Mass went very well last night. There was a good crowd, all gathered to honour St Therese. The ceremonies began with the Rosary, followed by Mass, then Adoration and then blessing with the relics of St Therese and her parents, Blesseds Louis and Zelie. As I have said before, these devotions do so much for the faith - not only of the people, but of us priests too.
The Mass celebrated was that of the great St Teresa, whose feast it is today. For us Carmelites, today is a Solemnity, having begun at dusk yesterday evening. I say us Carmelites because, while I am a diocesan priest, I am also a Secular Discalced Carmelite (or Third Order as it used to be known). This means that, in reality, I am a member of the Discalced Carmelite Order by my profession, but also a priest of the diocese of Meath. Sounds confusing - not really: diocesan priests are permitted in canon law to join Third Orders. One of the ways I like to clarify it is by thinking: in life I am priest in Meath; when I get to heaven (that should be an "if", a big IF), I'll be in the Carmelite crowd, all going well. I'm hoping to elbow my way in between St Therese and Blessed Hermilo of St Eliseus (Spanish Civil War martyr) - I'm trying to bribe them to get me into heaven somehow, but their price is very high - love. I do my best, but most of time I know I don't meet the rent! But I'm trying. This year is important for me because I am preparing for my final profession on the 18th December, or Definitive Profession as it is called.
So today is a big feast. St Teresa is one of those saints you fall in love with immediately. Her personality shines through her work as does her holiness and love of God. If you have never read her, make a resolution to do so. The best book to begin with is her autobiography. If you find it difficult, keep going, it's worth it: she'll just jump out at you.
Teresa was not always a saint. In her childhood she showed great signs of it, but then she blew it. She entered the convent out of fear for her soul, but then proceeded to waste twenty years, dodging prayer, for the best of intentions, or so she thought. It took two conversions and a serious illness to call her to her senses and bring her back on track. So Teresa can identify with all the problems we face in the spiritual life, and can guide us along the path to union with God. Her works detail this path, but with great simplicity and lots of digressions which actually reveal her personality and help endear her to you. She writes very differently from St John of the Cross with whom she is most often compared: same theology, same spirituality, but different way of exploring and expressing it.
One thing I love about her is her ingenious way of getting around people - a God-given gift which, it seems, most of the founders in the Church had: Blessed Teresa of Calcutta had it. When she was setting up the first house of the reform of Carmel, San Jose in Avila, Teresa faced many difficulties, including a superior who was caught between her and those objecting to the reform. Teresa was obedient in all she did, but recruited others to do the work for her, so when permission was given, she was ready to fly like a dove into the new house. Later in life she was brought back to her original convent to reform that. The nuns in the convent rebelled, and there was ructions in the house. Teresa arrived at the door to find it locked and the nuns barricading themselves in. Teresa just sat quietly outside until negotiations were over and the door, reluctantly opened. With her charm and charity, Teresa proposed a solution: sitting on a stool, she had a statue of Our Lady placed in the Prioress' chair: until peace was restored and hearts won over, Our Lady would be prioress. Teresa won hearts, she brought St John of the Cross as confessor, and that convent became one of her great supporters and one of the flagships of the reform.
Prayer: O Holy Mother St Teresa, in these difficult times in the Church, obtain from the Lord for us those graces he granted you: love, patience, charity, tact and a thick skin. Like you, may we sing of his mercies for all generations to hear.
St Teresa, patroness of reform and spiritual renewal, pray for us.
Happy feast day! We're having partridge tonight!
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